Inside A Poisoned Paradise
by MayFairy
Summary: The Second Quarter Quell. Victor: Haymitch Abernathy. But what happened in the middle? Why was the Career Pack one of TWO groups of allied tributes? Why did the District 7 tributes band together even near the end? Perhaps it was something to do with one of them in particular, a girl whose unexpected condition meant that 49 lives were present even though only 48 tributes went in.
1. The Reaping

**Now, I promised myself I wasn't going to write a Hunger Games fic because I am too snowballed by my Doctor Who ones as it is...but this idea wouldn't leave me alone. So, I hope you enjoy it!**

**Note: I realise that an OC written in first person present tense is often known as a Sueish way to write, but I figure that since the Hunger Games is written in the same way that makes it okay. Now, I usually dislike writing in present tense but past just didn't seem to fit for some reason. And the Hunger Games seems to just have to be in first person, to me, even though I usually dislike writing in that too.**

**Do let me know if you've made any errors about districts or timelines or anything! :)**

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><p>There's only minutes left until we have to assemble and wait for Malroy Darsta, the District 7 escort, to emerge on the stage in front of the pit where we are all expected to stand. I've seen my family already, and promised to find them once the tributes have been picked. Now, my time is for Deen and no one else. We had to go through this torment of anticipation last year but this year the stakes are higher, as they always are. Not just in terms of how many times our names are in there - six for both of us - but because I have so much more to lose. It's lucky really, that I'm not so poor as to need to apply for tesserae.<p>

Deen's hand clasps mine as we simply stare at each other in the eyes for over half of a minute. His fingers comb some of my hair out of my face and I realize belatedly that I am clutching his shirt in my hands as though it is a lifeline. My gaze falls to them for a minute and I frown as I stare, but he grabs my chin and forces me to look at him again. When I wordlessly comply, he gently pries my fingers off of his shirt.

"Hey," Deen says quietly, his voice calming me as it always does, "It will be fine, the odds are in our favor, we're only in there six times."

"Twelve year olds are only in there once and they still get picked...odds aren't enough. With the Quarter Quell's rules, it might as well be twelve," I reply with a lump in my throat. Suddenly he's hugging me fiercely and I can't help but wonder if it's just so that I won't see him look as terrified as I am. I'm not a coward but this chills me to the core every year without fail when the entire District gathers like lambs for slaughter.

"You can't afford to think like that," He whispers into my ear with a tremor of urgency.

"I can't afford not to...what if they take you away from me?"

"Then I will kill anyone who tries to stop me from getting back to you." His usually irrefutable logic has strangely little affect on me today. I know that until the Reaping is over I will not be able to shake the usual terror that fills everyone in the whole of a Panem Districts at the time of a reaping - albeit the Career ones.

A sudden silence around us tells us what we didn't want to hear; it was time to get into our places and let the Reaping begin. Deen kisses my forehead quickly and as he pulls away he whispers something that fills my heart with worry and a strange chill.

"May the odds be ever in your favor, Cadence."

I feel myself briefly freeze at the words that sound so wrong coming out of his mouth. After a moment the words somehow reassure me. But I've missed my chance and he has disappeared into the crowd, so I do the same.

The many lines of adolescents and the families that gather around fill the yard where the Reaping occurs every year. Malroy Darsta appears on stage to meet a round of applause that we create for the sake of pretense at being happy. It's laughable really; why would we be happy about giving up two – or in this case, four – of our own only for the chance of one returning? Are the Capitol people really so stupid as to believe our feigned joy? Looking at Malroy and his painted green face makes me consider that people who think that all those fake colours are fashionable perhaps are as bland and brainless as we all tend to think.

The two most recent mentors of District 7 linger in the background of the stage. Their faces are familiar, as most of us remember watching their televised games years back, and remember the incomparable feel of joy and triumph when we realised that one of our tributes, Carlotta, was coming home. And then two years later we watched Karena win her Games without killing a single tribute,by hiding and letting the natural world kill them instead. This tactic brought her home to us. But that's the problem with the Games, isn't it? Even if you can beat the odds and escape the Arena without being slaughtered, you are forced to mentor children like yourself every year and watched at least one – and usually both – of them be killed practically before your eyes. You can see it in their eyes when the camera briefly zooms in on them that they are still haunted by those nightmares.

"Happy Hunger Games!" Malroy announces suddenly in his irritatingly feminine voice, "And may the odds be ever in your favor!" The words are ones that have echoed through our lives since we can remember and no one other than the man speaking them smiles or reacts to them in any way. Unfazed, he continues. "As always, it is such an honour to be here with all of you today. District 7 has always been _my _District, you're all so wonderful…but onto the selecting of the tributes. Ladies first, of course, and this time I have the pleasure of announcing not one but two lovely girls who will have the honour of representing District 7 in the 50th annual Hunger Games!"

It's a typically Capitol thing to say. To be doting on people in one sentence, and lightly reminding us of the fact that he is leading their children to the Arena in the next. It makes me incredibly nauseous and fills me with disgust, though there was always a possibility that it wasn't all due to the sickening subtext of Malroy's words.

"Now…our first tribute is…Lara Castellan!"

A few murmurs run through the crowd as the terrified young brunette girl steps forward. I vaguely recognize her from when I used to supervise the collection of the kindling around the forests, and realize that she is only thirteen, but poor enough to need a helping of tesserae. Malroy welcomes her onto the stage and she manages to force a half-convincing smile at him. It's obvious that she's scared out of her wits but she does a good show of trying to be brave, and there is a glint of determination in her eye.

I snap back to attention when I realize that he is selecting the other female tribute, though sneak a glance at my friend Kayla who is standing a few rows away. Hoping to high heaven that she is not picked, I let myself concentrate on the paper now in Malroy's hand, being unfolded as I watched.

_Please let it be a fighter. Please let it be someone who has a chance. Not another young one. Please._

"Cadence Marks."

I freeze in unparalleled shock and find the world temporarily disappearing. In the background there is a moment's silence and in the back of my mind I register it being broken by a sob that can be identified as my mother's. This brings me back to my surroundings and I realize that everyone is watching me, or trying to get a glimpse of me. Numbly, I begin to walk and I hear a protest from the boys section. Instinctively, like it's built into my body's natural functions, my eyes find Deen in less than a second. The defeat and desperation in his face makes my heart break a little. His emerald eyes are speaking to me with a plan that makes my blood run cold.

He wants to volunteer, so that he can protect me in the Arena and make sure that I make it out alive.

My head shakes violently of its own accord, my face and eyes pleading with him to see reason. I would be forced to kill him – or in an unlikely circumstance, vice versa – and he should know I could never do it or let him die. Like a miracle his face slumps into acceptance and I realize that I have convinced him. Such is our faith and trust in each other…I have never been more glad of it than I am now.

With a clearer head than the one I had several seconds ago, I slowly walk up to stage, suddenly feeling self-conscious of my physical appearance. I manage to tell myself that the clothes from District 7 are so bulky that I needn't worry, but it is a hard feeling to kick when suddenly you are in front of everyone you have ever known in your seventeen years of life.

"Come on up, come on up," Malroy says with a sickening sweet voice which gives me an urge to break his nose, an urge that surprises me because violent thoughts and impulses are not something I am accustomed to feeling.

I stamp up the steps and place myself next to Lara. The poor girl looks so out of place and so afraid that I grab her hand and shoot her a reassuring look when she stares up at me in surprise. The gratitude in her eyes is obvious and when I look back out into the crowd some people seem to be pleased by the gesture.

A feeling of self-exasperation proceeds to crash over me as it hits me that I was so busy worrying about Deen or Kayla being drawn that I had completely forgotten about the fact that I was eligible to be chosen too. Incredibly stupid…that's what I was. Thinking of Kayla, I look for her heart-shaped face again in the crowd and see her eyeing the ground with her blonde hair covering her eyes, and notice that she makes no move to volunteer in my place when Malroy makes the open offer. I'm hardly surprised and yet a strange disappointment hits me regardless. Perhaps she would have taken my place, if I told her the truth, the truth that made my situation altogether more horrifying? Perhaps…

I stand there like a good little tribute and cross my fingers that Deen won't be chosen as well as me. I can't fight him…I just can't…it's bad enough that I have to leave him. My eyes scope him out and settle on his face as Malroy announces the name of the first boy tribute. It's not one I recognize and I'm barely listening anyway, because the fact that I may have limited time to see Deen's face before I am taken away from him has gotten to me and I can't bear to look away from him.

"Stay strong," He mouths, and a strange little smile creeps on my face as my eyes tell him yes. By now, the first boy tribute – a stocky sixteen year old with a sullen face – is with us on the stage. Our eyes meet but that is the extent of our interaction as Malroy reads the last name.

It's not Deen, and I exhale so loudly that I'm sure the entire District could hear it. It's a tall, gangly boy who smiles at me nervously as he enters the stage.

Malroy Darsta reads all of our names again and we are herded off of the stage and into backrooms. Panic really begins to hit me as I am escorted to a room where I will make my goodbyes to my friends and family. I sit in a simple wooden chair that would have come from one of our own trees and run my left hand across the intricately carved armrest. My fingers trace the patterns while my other hand simply fiddles with the fabric of my jacket.

_I am going to compete in the Hunger Games._ In the second quarter quell where I have half of the chance of surviving than what I would typically. There is a crushing probability that I will never return to District 7 and be with Deen.

My thoughts are consuming me and it's all I do to not curl into a ball on the floor and scream because life isn't fair. As it is, I begin fiddling with one of my thick strawberry braids, removing the tie at the end of the one on my right side and toying with the ends.

Suddenly the door is open and my parents are in the room and they are crying while I hug them and act brave and strong for them. It's almost eerie how quickly I can hide my distress and panic. Are the games already changing me? They eventually leave and I lean against the door when they go, weeping bitterly and inwardly cursing the Capitol. A knock on the other side of the door startles me and I stumble back as the one person who I want to see enters.

"Deen," I murmur before falling into his arms. I don't have to be strong for him, and he knows me too well, he would know if I were feigning courage. He strokes my hair and I can feel by the shaking of his body that it's not just me who's crying.

"Cadence," Is all he manages before his words seem to dry up in his throat. I force myself to look up and wind up getting lost in his eyes as I have so many times before. My boring brown eyes can't be as fascinating as the clear green that he has, but he seems to like them all the same. His large, comforting hands cup my face with surprising force as he kisses me so fiercely and desperately that I instinctively grab onto him as hard as I can and kiss him back with all of the strength that I possess. He tastes of tears and I'm certain that I must too, and he is pulling me to him and I lean into his comforting embrace.

Finally, as we know that our time for farewell is coming to an end, we pull away but do not move. His forehead is pressed against mine and his eyes are shut as his arms gently caress my torso.

"I am going to try and get back to you," I promise quietly as my hands cover the top of his, "I'll fight anyone who tries to stop me. Even if I have to kill all 47 other tributes, I'll do it if it means I can have you."

"That's not the only reason."

"No, it's not."

There is a silence and I can tell that whatever it is that he wants to say next is hard. "Cadence...tell them the truth."

The idea is irrationally repulsive to me. "No...why should I?"

"They're going to find out anyway! But it will get you sponsors, don't deny that." His stupid logic can't be argued with.

"It might get me sponsors," I admit reluctantly, "And I suppose that's all that matters...it's not just about me."

"Just come back to me," Deen whispered as his eyes snapped open to bore into mine, "Both of you."

I nod and our hands gently rest on the emphasized curve of my stomach that has been hiding behind my incredibly bulky clothes. We stand there for as long as we possibly can, the still growing child in my womb between us, as we think about the fact that it will not just be my own life that I will be fighting for when I step into that Arena.

The odds are not in my favor, and I have far too much to lose.

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><p><strong>Well...there is a chance that this was really bad, but do let me know in a review, will you? (I reply to every review I receive, and cherish each one)<strong>

**-MayFairy :)**


	2. Leaving Everything Behind

**So, this story is going pretty well, it seems! :) I'm having a really great time writing it, I can't seem to stop! I already have about a thousand words of the next chapter written...**

**Thanks to all who have reviewed so far: FezzesRCool25, HestiaRue14, toavoidconversation, SuperFunkyGirl1, Arinlianette, and Mrs. 11th! :) Hugs for you all! :D **

**NOTE: Realising that I had totally botched up my timelines, I took out Johanna and Blight from the mentor roles and made up two new mentors. Chapter one has been fixed too. **

**You can see hints at some of my other fandoms through names I give characters... :P **

**Enjoy! **

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><p>Deen and I cling to each other desperately for an amount of time that slips away from us.<p>

"I love you," He whispers.

"I know. And I love you too," I say, "And that's what will keep me fighting."

I kiss him again and knot my fingers in his hair because it's strangely comforting. But there is a knock on the door, and after we ignore it, a pair of Peacekeepers wrench us apart. Deen shoves them off for a minute and pulls something out of his pocket before throwing it at me. I turn it over in my hands; it's a locket.

"To wear into the arena as your district token, so that you'll remember what's waiting at home for you when you're in the Capitol and Arena. It was going to be your birthday present, but..." He trails off as they are pulling him out the door, but he keeps yelling my name.

"I'll come back, I promise!" I cry earnestly after him. "I promise!" I repeat this with every ounce of breath that I have until the door is slammed in my face. Deen has been taken from me for what could be quite probably be the last time. The realization that I am being ripped away from my entire world, for the sake of intimidation tactic entertainment, is one that is just a little too much for me and my pregnancy-affected brain.

I crumble to the floor and let the tears fall out completely. My whole body curls around my swollen belly as my arms cradle it. I don't know how far along I am exactly, but my stomach's curve is definite enough to feel and see. I've simply managed to hide it well from the people in my District. Deen and I were in the middle of working out when we were going to tell our families. I suppose now they'll see it on the TV.

My hands rub my belly, around one of the two things I have left of Deen. This child, this life that Deen and I have created, deserves a chance to live...I can only hope that this notion might be one shared by others and give me an edge in the Arena. In the back of my mind I hear the door opening but can't bring myself to care. Who made up the etiquette that tributes had to be calm and collected, anyway? Perhaps I didn't want to be. I would be myself and no one else.

I feel a small pair of arms wrap around me and I look up to see the sympathetic face of Lara Castellan. The idea that this thirteen year old is so willingly comforting me moves me in a strange way and it breaks my heart as I realize that if my baby is to live, this innocent girl will have to die. For this reason I clutch her tighter.

"Malroy sent me to get you," She says after a minute or so, "It's time to get on the train." Slowly we get up and walk through the corridors until we get to the place where we board the train. Everyone is waiting for us inside, the two boys, plus Karena, Carlotta and Malroy. No longer feeling helpless, I feel my spine straighten and my expression turn to one of resilience. If I want to be a winner, I'm going to have to start acting like one.

Lara and I sit down and I do my best to tune out Malroy's speech on punctuality. I'm unsuccessful and eventually snap at him.

"You do not have the right to rip me away from the people I love, and then criticize me on the amount of time I spend saying goodbye to them." My words are met with wide eyed stares of surprise and Malroy's clicking tongue. He's not impressed but for a Capitol escort he is quite unimposing when the worst of the moment has already occured.

Behind him, Karena looks somewhat impressed by my defiance. She had always been against the Capitol in her own way (as demonstrated by her refusal to kill anyone in her Games), so it's hardly surprising.

Malroy himself simply raises an eyebrow, his usual cheery persona freezing into something cooler. "The Capitol will not tolerate disobedience or outspoken resistance. Think about that before you open your mouth again." With that he leaves the room. I return to examining my nails as Geff and the other tribute - who's name was still a mystery to me due to my lack of observance - strike up their conversation again. Carlotta, the ex-district 7 mentor who is now a brainwashed member of the Capitol through and through, bustles around in her ridiculous clothes trying to find the ideal place to sit before hiding herself behind a fashion magazine. Her long locks of blue hair are done up in wild braids that circle her head, and her make-up gives her the appearance of a scary painted doll. Why anyone could think it is attractive is beyond me.

Karena takes the padded chair by Lara and attempts to talk to her, and after a while I can see that Lara starts to like Karena more and more. Perhaps I would too, I simply wasn't in the mood for talking at the moment; it wasn't as though there wasn't going to be plenty of time for that in the Capitol.

I realize that Deen's locket is still hanging around my neck and that I haven't opened it yet. My fingers begin to tremble as they wrap around it and for ten seconds my hands are shaking so much that I nearly drop it. Soft hands that have traces of blisters long since healed cover mine, and I look up with a frown into Karena's kind face. Her fingers unclasp the locket in less than a second, and she returns to her seat without so much glancing down at what she has opened. The helpfulness of the gesture and the subtle respect for my privacy that came with it touches me somehow. I look up with gratitude shining in my eyes and she nods to acknowledge it before resuming her conversation with Lara.

My eyes drop to the locket now lying open across my left palm. Photographs are not common in Panem, but not unheard of either. Being the lumber district who supplies the wood to make the paper - photographic or otherwise - we get more of a share of photographs that most of the poor ones would.

This photo is one that I haven't seen before, but I remember it being taken. It had been in winter, on Deen's birthday, and Deen and I were wrapped up in thick winter coats like the rest of the District had been at the time. He's hugging me in the photo and we're cheek to cheek while both grinning like the pair of madly in love people we were at the time.

The other side contains a picture of him welding an axe like an idiot in a mockingly staunch pose as he stood in the trees of the District 7 forest. It's so wonderfully him; his dark curls are unruly as always and his grin is so cheerful that it almost pains me. I have a very strange sense of humour and Deen to this day is the only one to ever fully appreciate it. For me, this second picture is the definition of home.

I stare at the two photos in my hands before closing the locket gently. Becoming aware of eyes on me, I look up to see everyone looking at me. It hits me that I've started crying again at about the same time that I see Malroy has reentered the room. He pointedly turns away from me and talks to Carlotta instead. A strange sense of resentment for the man settles in my stomach.

Rising from my seat, I stonily ask where my room is. When I get the answer I storm from the room without another word, though snag two brightly colored minature cakes on the way out. Naturally, of all the times to do so, my baby has decided to be hungry now. I lie on the eerily comfortable bed and munch on the overly sweet and fine food before falling asleep.

When I wake, I am immediately seized by nausea and don't quite make it to the ensuite sink in time. Disgusted, I give myself a quick wash and change my clothes. All the Capitol fashions are too figure fitting but my clothes seem to have disappeared overnight. The thought is unsettling and I wind up staring at myself in the flimsy Capitol clothes in the mirror. The sleeveless green shirt is made of satin - I think - and while it's not ridiculously tight, it does nothing to hide the now obvious baby bump. I'm not huge and my mobility isn't affected yet, but there is no escaping the fact that everyone on this train, including Malroy Darsta, the man who acts like a woman, will learn my secret if I step out there. And I'm hungry, incredibly so, so simply hiding in my room isn't an option.

Am I ready for them to know? What will they say? What will I say?

I take a deep breath as I pull on the tight black trousers that make my legs itch and hang Deen's locket around my neck. I don't even look at the shoes, partly because the shoes that Capitol women wear are frightening and partly because I want to see if Carlotta and/or Malroy will say anything about my bare feet.

I stare in the mirror at myself and the frizzy mane of strawberry blonde hair that I'm sporting. No longer interested in my appearance, I deftly use my fingers to tie it in my usual two braids in record time. They calm me down a little...give me a sense of normality when everything around me is so alien and colorful.

Breathing steady, deep breaths, I exit my room and force my feet to carry me through the train corridors until I reach the door to the main dining area. Chatter is coming through from the other side; everyone appears to be strangely cheerful and sociable if the voices are anything to go by. I prepare myself for a moment before bursting in. I smile at everyone and for a few seconds it is all morning greetings and smiles.

Then the plate in Karena's hand drops to the floor and breaks, and one by one, everyone's shocked gaze falls to my slightly rounded stomach. I drop my eyes to the floor timidly and make my way to the table filled with food. Silence in the room is broken only by the clatter of serving silverware on my plate. This irritates me. A lot.

"You've all seen a pregnant woman before, so stop gawping at me before flies zoom into your open mouths," I snap. They all blink and awkwardly look away as I settle myself into the seat I had sat in the day previous. Lara is the first one to approach me and say anything. Her hand touches my stomach tentatively ad for some reason the physical privacy invasion doesn't bother me. The thirteen year old's gorgeous blue eyes watch me.

"It's Deen's baby, isn't it?" She asks simply, and all I can do is nod at her because I'm so unsure of what to say in my current situation. As she nods back at me and walks back to the table of food, I manage to form words to add to my nod.

"Of course it's Deen's baby. It was never not going to be his." The words make Lara smile at me as she bites into a blackberry muffin. She looks pleased for some reason.

Karena sits opposite me with a gravely thoughtful expression as she regards me. "If you're pregnant, why didn't anyone volunteer in your place?"

I avoid her gaze and munch on my jam toast while formulating an answer. "Deen was the only other person who knew about it. And his volunteering wouldn't have done me any good."

"I guessed," Lara blurts out awkwardly, "About a week ago."

I raise my eyebrow at her and she blushes before busying herself with more food. The unnamed boy watches me from a few meters away, some kind of fruit smoothie clutched in his hands.

"It's not so surprising, really," He adds, not unkindly, "You two are always together, going off alone into the woods."

My cheeks suddenly become very hot and I know that I must be bright red. "We gathered berries together," I said weakly, and he smiles with a teasing glint in his eye.

"I'm sure you did...I'm also sure that's not all you did." He then becomes very preoccupied with his fruit drink.

Carlotta is not taking the news so well; she looks purple. It's impossible to believe that she was once in our positions, yet I know that she was. "Well, my job is to keep you alive, and this new piece of news will change that drastically, so now we must plan when or if to reveal it to the public, how to do so, and-"

"I don't see why we suddenly have to put in all this extra work just because some girl couldn't keep her legs shut," Malroy interrupts, and Karena begins to choke on her food in surprise. I slowly turn my head to look at him, so angry in such a small amount of time that I can't form words, and I can feel my body shaking with fury as my eyes lock with his. His dark eyes are unfathomable with a hint of curiosity and smugness.

"Say that again," I dare him, and while he doesn't repeat his words, his eyes do portray a certain satisfaction. He's relishing the fact that he's gotten to me. I don't know how our mutual dislike has bloomed out of nowhere, considering that at previous reapings I've never had any notable feelings of dislike other than the natural repulsion that we feel for Capitol people. Either way, it's definitely there now and it is not going to help me along when Malroy is part of the team that helps me stay alive.

Still, it's nice to know that Karena and Carlotta are the ones who will be controlling the flow of gifts from any Sponsors I may get, and not Malroy. He's only an escort, after all, and as long as I remember that, I will be okay. Still, I have one thing to say to him.

"This baby is a gift. I love someone called Deen and he is the father of this baby. I'm not ashamed of what I have done, nor do I think I have any reason to be. If I get out of this alive, Deen, me, and this baby will be a family. Do not demean me through words because you believe it makes you sound impressive. It makes you sound cruel and pathetic." I hold his gaze for several intense seconds before going back to my toast and pointedly not talking to anyone.

A few minutes later Carlotta and Malroy leave together while discussing what angle to take on the publicity of my pregnancy. I know that it's important, and could determine whether this baby and I live or die, but in this exact moment I can't bring myself to care.

The unnamed boy sits next to me but I don't look up.

"Cadence," Karena says urgently, "I'm sorry for Malroy, he isn't always the kindest of people."

"He doesn't have to like me, or be kind to me, I just want to him to respect me and the fact that I'm a person too." I mutter, absently tracing circles across the silky fabric that covers my stomach. "Just...tell me some survival tips or something. Since that's kind of your job."

Karena nods. "Geff and Lara have both gone back to their rooms, so it looks like it's just the two of you! That is, if you want to join us, Dariand." There was his name. Finally.

"As long as Cadence doesn't mind," Dariand says with a shrug, and I can't help but look at him incredulously.

"Of course I don't," I said with a mild snort.

"Well, the main thing is to find food and water. Don't trust anything if you do 't know what it is, especially not fruit," Karena instructs seriously. "I nearly died during my Games because I ate berries that made me puke up all of my food. Nearly starved to death."

"Yeah, I remember that," Dariand says casually, "We were all really worried there for a while."

"Take something from the Cornucopia if it's near the outside and worth getting, otherwise just get the hell out of there and let someone else be cut down in the initial bloodbath. There's almost fifty of you in total, you can't afford to be careless in any way."

"I'm carrying a baby," I mention pointedly and quietly, "I'm not going to take my life or my baby's life lightly."

Sorrow and sympathy fills her eyes. "I know."

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><p>Later, when the other two are back, all seven of us sit down in another carriage to watch the recap of the reapings. It's even harder to keep track of the tributes than usual because there are twice as many, but people still stand out a bit.<p>

A strangely small girl who could only be fourteen who rushes forward to volunteer in District 1. The other girl from 1 is her polar opposite and I'm already afraid of her.

A lean boy from 4 with a dangerous glint in his eye and oozing confidence in his step.

Suddenly they are showing our reaping, with Lara being chosen and the crowd being unhappy that a thirteen year old was picked. Then it's me, you can see how I freeze, and how Deen cries out. Our silent conversation as I'm walking up. I note with satisfaction how well the baby bump is hidden under my clothes.

I watch as I grab Lara's hand and the crowd cheers slightly. It shows Dariand being picked - Dariand Quinto - and then Geff Pallister.

More tributes roll past, and eventually we're onto District 12. I've always felt so sorry for them, I'm sure that some of them must starve out there. District 7 wasn't much but seeing the people from the coal district always made my heart ache with sympathy. The first girl looks so tiny and skinny that it makes me sick. The second girl read out had been standing with two other blonde girls, one of whom looked to be her twin.

The first boy drawn is a a twelve year old boy who looks as though he has never seen food in his life. I tear my eyes away from the screen and open my locket again to stare at Deen's face for several moments before closing it.

The last tribute to be reaped for our games is a boy, who looks about my age, give or take a year, and has dark curly hair a little like Deen's. He's good-looking, though very serious. I notice his eyes search the crowd and seem to find what they are looking for. I recognize the emotion in his grey eyes. It seems that I'm not the only one who is leaving behind someone they love.

I get up to leave but Carlotta grabs my arm. She smiles the first smile I've seen from her that actually has a trace of genuine compassion in it. The caring in her eyes is mildly disturbing, but I let her lead me out of the room.

"We'll be at the Capitol in a few hours," She said in her accent that was half-Capitol and half District 7, "And until we decide when we're going to present you as pregnant, because trust me, timing is crucial, we need to hide that bump of yours."

We arrive at my room and spend over half an hour deciding on what will work best. We settle on a pretty white blouse and a green skirt that sits high on waist, high enough that the curve of the skirt perfectly hides my stomach. I stare at myself in the mirror and see a girl who seems too normal and well-dressed to be me. The stockings don't help, but she let me wear my boots, which is comforting.

"Leave your hair how it is," She muses, "The braids are cute." With that she leaves me alone. I stare at the mirror again. My overall look makes me appear younger than I am, more like 15 or 14 than the 17 I really am. Not really ideal for someone who is pregnant, but my stylist will probably be able to cover me in make-up to bump my physical appearance and age up a bit.

I go back into the main room where everyone is milling about. We're all somewhat well dressed now, and Geff is sitting in a corner by himself while Lara and Dariand are together on the couch, and I join them.

"You look nice," Dariand notes, "You can't see the baby bump." I simply nod. Carlotta, however, picks up on his words.

"Yes, on that subject," She raises her voice, "Until it's revealed publically, Cadence's pregnancy does not leave this room, am I understood?"

Everyone nods and murmurs their consent and she smiles nervously before coming to sit down by us.

"Is there something else?" Dariand asks stiffly, and it's obvious he feels the same sense of betrayal that I do whenever I look at our mentor.

If Carlotta notices his indifference towards her, she doesn't let it show. "Yes, the matter of training, and whether you would like to train separately or together."

There is a brief silence before Lara speaks up. "I'd like to train with Cadence, if that's okay." Surprise fills me and I feel strangely flattered. It's a gesture of trust, what she's doing, whether she realizes that or not. I smile at her.

"Of course it is, though call me Cady, please," I reply, and look at Dariand expectantly, curious as to what he is going to pick.

"What about Geff?" He asks as he glances over his shoulder at the boy in the corner.

Carlotta holds a straight face. "He's asked to be trained alone."

Something hardens in Dariand's eyes and he leans back into the cushions of the sofa. After almost a minute of silence and his intense thinking, he speaks. "Then I'll train with the girls, if they'll have me."

Lara smiles and nods, and I do the same. Because while all alliances have to be broken at some point in the games, with 48 tributes, you would be an idiot to try and brave it alone. I already trust Lara, and I feel that I could grow to trust Dariand easily. He's got that aura about him that just makes you feel as though he's a good person.

Later, bright light streams through the windows and we realize that we're in the Capitol, the place we could only dream or have nightmares about in the past. We've seen it on TV, though, of course.

Lara grabs both mine and Dariand's hands before eagerly pulling us to the window. "Come on!" We appease both her curiosity and our own as we gaze out of the window. Hundreds of Capitol citizens are screaming with excitement, their painted faces alight with joy and their strange hair bouncing up and down as they do.

It's sickening, and I briefly consider stepping away from the window. As if sensing my doubt, Lara's grip on my hand tightens. Then she lets go and starts waving and smiling at the people outside. Realizing her tactic, Dariand and I follow her example. We smile and wave until our faces hurt and the frightening are out of our sight.

I wonder when Lara became the ringleader of our little group of three, and why the youngest would be the leader, but somehow it fits. This little girl will lead her elders forward by the hand and keep us safe.

"This is where it begins," I say, and the two of them smile grimly in agreement.

* * *

><p><strong>Here's hoping that was actually any good! :) Also, sorry for any typos, it was written on an iPod touch. I think you'll be able to expect reasonably fast updates on this, as I can;t stop myself writing it, and I'm on holiday. :) <strong>

**Drop me a review to let me know what you think, please! **

**-MayFairy :) **


	3. It Begins

**I really do love writing this story! Also, I saw the Hunger Games for the second time yesterday, and when I wasn't having fangirl moments over the Hayffie feels, or the Peenis feels, I was being filled with so much muse for Cadence's story that's it's not even funny. **

**Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter: Pergyl (thanks so much for your review, yes, the Careers will have interesting times in the games, I promise!), SuperFunkyGirl1, FanLoveFiction, FezzesRCool25, Arinlianette, HestiaRue14, and Mrs. 11th. **

**toavoidconversation, do not even THINK about reading this before R & Ring the previous chapter. It seems that when you were catching up, you forgot this one. :P The Daliya feels you got were undeserved! :P I joke, I joke. Sorta. ;D**

**In this one we get to properly talk to Haymitch, which is fun, and we get a better look at the Careers. For the record, I imagine Jovanka (you will learn who she is during this chapter), as a sort of mix of Foxface and Clove. :P **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Our trio gets separated once we disembark the train as we are all carted off to our own individual stylists. But we have to go through some kind of basic grooming first, it seems. Carlotta follows me as I'm led away, and before the prep team strip me down, explains my unique predicament. Gasps of shock and giggles of excitement burst out, and it makes me want to be sick that these Capitol people can laugh at the thought of my baby being in life-threatening danger.<p>

One of then runs off to fetch my stylist, who turns out to be a willowy woman with flowing green hair. She certainly fits the description of a District 7 stylist. Her black eyes narrow as she regards me.

"Let me see the stomach," She commands, and the prep team take off my skirt. The stylist circles me several times. "Yes, we can hide this easily, it will be no problem."

With that she leaves, and Carlotta gives me a strange excited hug. "We'll reveal it for the interviews," She tells me, "That's when all eyes will be on you."

I am then ambushed by the prep team who proceed to remove all the hair from my body. It's very painful but I don't complain. They also scrub me down and make my nails pretty and identical. Finally they are done and circle me to check their work.

"We'll get Danna now," They said in their strange Capitol accents and return with the eccentric stylist woman. I feel so strange, standing there without a stitch of clothing on, but they act as though it is totally normal.

"Hello, Cadence," Her voice sounded like wind-chimes or something as equally strange. "Now, this year, we're going to make you a gorgeous tree, strong and resilient. What do you think of that?"

I stare at her for a few moments, trying to figure out if she is joking or not. The District 7 tributes are always dressed as trees, without fail, every year. Because the stylists are always the same, and don't change often. Obviously, she must know this. And yet...she is staring at me intently.

"That sounds great," I say weakly. There is no way in the world that I could have sounded convincing, but Danna smiles and claps her hands.

"Brilliant...now, let me explain what we're going to do..."

Hours later, I stand next to Lara. We're both in green high-waisted dresses, and our arms and legs are painted brown, with the patterns of wood intricately painted on. They've let our hair loose but there are a million vines and leaves through each strand.

The boys are more simple, painted all over with leaf-like loincloths as their only real clothing. We would have had a similar fate if it weren't for my pregnancy, I would wager. Neither of them look very comfortable, and I shoot a sympathetic look at Dariand.

Suddenly it's our turn and Lara winds her hand through mine. I must seem nervous. Already, how things have changed since our Reaping. Our chariot rolls out and the crowds cheer, though not as loudly as they tend to for District One. I take comfort in the fact that, as tributes dressed as trees go, we're definitely some of the better looking ones. We keep up the pretense that we started on the train and wave and blow kisses to the crowd, grinning as if we were enjoying ourselves. In reality, we're both so nervous that we're shaking.

I watch the other Districts come out, and spot the older dark haired boy from District Twelve who I had noticed at the Reaping. He was dressed as a coal-miner and carried a pick-axe. Our eyes met for a second and I found myself smiling a little. He nods, as if he is not sure how to react.

It's over quite quickly, and our prep team finds us and tells us that we did a good job. Lara's stylist is a man who looks as though he's at least forty but trying to be twenty. But he seems friendly enough, if not a little too excitable.

* * *

><p>We're escorted up a crystal escalator that is strangely beautiful and into the District 7 floor, which is gorgeous and more luxurious that anything I have ever seen in my life. Lara gasps and I find myself laughing at her until I remember that she was from the poorer part of town, and must have never had anything like this before. She had needed tesserae, after all. Of course, it is incredibly unbelievable and different from anything I have ever known either. I'm not really feeling any different from her, I'm just enjoying her awe.<p>

We explore the place and find that there is a room for the two girls and a room for the two boys. I feel briefly sorry for Dariand to be stuck with Geff, who thus far has just proved to be silent, sullen, and unfriendly.

There are a lot of us as we sit down at the large dining table. The four tributes, four stylists, two mentors, and one escort. Eleven in total.

So much food lines the table that we tributes simply become occupied with filling our bellies as fast as we can. Malroy looks disgusted but Karena grins at me as she helps herself to some bread.

"Now," Carlotta says, "The three days of training start tomorrow, so make sure that you sort out what you're going to do with that. Usually it's best to keep your talents hidden until your session with the Gamemakers, but I'll leave that to you."

"What...um...will I be wearing?" I ask hesitantly, and Carlotta turns to me.

"Well, the Training Sessions aren't televised, so you will be wearing regular clothing, as the other tributes and Gamemakers knowing won't affect you."

"Okay...sure," I find myself replying, then turn to Lara and Dariand. "Do you guys want to stick together tomorrow?"

"Definitely...we should probably learn how to catch food or something," Lara agrees, and as usual, I am impressed by her practical way of thinking. It's easy to forget that you're just as likely to die of natural causes as you are to be killed by another tribute.

"Yeah...I guess I wouldn't know much about that, and I probably should." I nod.

"I wouldn't either...good thinking, Lara," Dariand compliments. Karena looks pleased that we're working as a team, and Geff just scowls into his soup. I am really starting to get irritated by him. Does he think that he's better than us?

I manage to stop myself getting angry with him – as my anger is rare but deeply unattractive – and instead force myself to shoot Lara an admiring smile which brings a pleased blush to her cheeks.

Geff pushes out from the table and silently leaves for the boy's bedroom. Carlotta and his stylist make an attempt at a farewell but his reply is indiscernible. Our team continues to make what sounds like pointless Capitol talk to me, and the three of us tributes simply remain silent.

"If we've got training tomorrow, we should all get some sleep," I recommend, standing up, and Lara and Dariand murmur their agreements. We say our goodnights and Lara and I head off to our room. I think that she can sense my growing nerves because Lara watches me with concerned eyes, as if she were the older one.

"Are you okay?" She asks, and I hug my middle as I sit down on my bed with a thump.

"I suppose…the idea that tomorrow 44 people who are soon going to try and kill me are going to find out my biggest vulnerability…it's starting to hit me, and it's not sitting so well in my head…or my gut," I say slowly, looking at my knees.

Lara sits down next to me and puts her hand on my stomach comfortingly. "But it's also your biggest advantage. Sponsors are going to want to send you gifts, because it means that they can save two lives instead of one. Some of the other tributes might think like that too." Her other hand strokes a bit of my hair back and I smile at her, realizing that without this girl my nerves would have already broken me. "Now, you said it yourself, we need sleep. So let's sleep." The youth in her eyes shows as she speaks this time, and I nod.

We both climb into our beds, and while sleep does not come easily to me, it comes eventually.

* * *

><p>The showers are our first destination in the morning, and as the water pours over my bare skin, I run my hands across the place where my child is growing, and I think a tear falls from my eye. But if it did, it is swept away by the running water, leaving no trace.<p>

Good. I have to be strong, because if I'm not someone is going to kill me. Not today…but soon.

I find clothes lying on my bed when I return, dark leggings and a moss green tunic with no sleeves. It seems that whoever is planning my clothes has still not let go of this tree theme, which isn't that surprising for Capitol people, I suppose.

I'm the last to join the group at the breakfast table, but Karena and Lara seem genuinely happy to see me. Dariand is rather quiet and I can see the dark bags under his eyes that suggest he got little sleep last night.

We're all ravenous, especially myself, as I'm eating for two, but we stop ourselves from over eating because we need to be able to get through the training and move agilely.

* * *

><p>Both anxious and eager, the four of us stand in the elevator as it goes below ground level to the Training Centre. Lara's in a simple but short green shirt the colour of mine and high riding leggings that come just below her knees, while the boys are opposites. Geff wears a shirt that shows off his arm muscles, and Dariand's sleeves are clipped at the elbow. Leggings seem to be the District 7 trend, though.<p>

The elevator doors open to reveal a huge gymnasium full of various weapons and education stations, and most of the other tributes are already here. Everyone has a piece of cloth with their District number sewed to the back of their clothes, and while someone does mine I count who is here and who is absent. Two districts are missing; District 10, and District 12. We wait for them to arrive, and soon they do, the four from 12, and then the four from 10.

My heart starts to sink a little as an athletic looking man explains how the Training Sessions work. Apart from the ones who are clearly younger than me, every tribute, boy or girl, is larger than me. I'm the runt of the litter, the tiny little 17 year old who looks two years younger than she really is.

I vaguely note the instructions: No fighting with other tributes, move around the stations as I like, whether they be survival technique stations or fighting technique stations.

As we move off to different stations, I find that a lot of stares seem to follow me, along with whispers. Despite feeling incredibly self-conscious, I try to ignore it and stick with Dariand and Lara as we head to the station that teaches us how to make traps to catch food. We all pick it up reasonably fast, and within fifty minutes we're moving onto the test on edible plants, which is a must-learn for obvious reasons.

Some of the plants are easy, and others I simply have to guess, and I usually guess wrong. Dariand, however, knows almost all the answers. Lara admits to knowing virtually nothing, but watches us both avidly. I can see her brain absorbing the information like a sponge, and try to do the same, only to be unsure of what I have learnt.

We decide to split up for a bit; Lara wants to try her hand at some of the smaller axes, I decide to stick with survival skills and head to the fire-making station, while Dariand joins some of the Careers at the knives station. I watch him and wish I had his bravery, and get so caught up in my thoughts that I don't notice someone come up next to me.

"You did a good job of hiding that at the Parade," A male voice says from next to me, and I jump a mile into the air. When I turn, I see the boy from District 12, the older one who I had noticed at the Reaping.

"What?" I ask blankly, confused.

He gestures to my rounded stomach and I feel my cheeks get a little warm.

"Oh," I reply mildly, completely unsure of what to say, "My stylist was very helpful." He nods, an unfathomable look in his grey eyes.

We get to work on the fires under the trainers eye.

"I'm Haymitch," He offers after a few minutes, and my eyes flick up to him as I try to figure out what he's trying to achieve.

Eventually, I figure that getting friendly with someone couldn't hurt. "Cadence," I say, and he nods again.

"Well, Cadence…is your man waiting for you back home?" The question is simple enough but it pains me. It's strange though, to hear Deen being referred to as a man, when he is only 17. I know that if he had been here to hear it, he would have puffed his chest out and made a huge deal of it for the rest of the day, and the thought only makes me miss him more.

"Yes…waiting for the both of us," I say quietly as my hand unconsciously moves to rub my stomach again. "Is your girl waiting for you?"

He freezes a little and eyes me warily. "What makes you say I have one?"

My own eyes drop embarrassedly and I busy myself with trying to light the fire as I answer. "Your Reaping…I could see it in your eyes…recognized it because it was exactly what I felt during my own Reaping."

"Observant," He remarks dryly, and his fire finally lights while mine does not.

"I suppose," I murmur, and just when I'm about to give up, my flame bursts into life and dances in front of me with its bright colours. "Yes!" I don't know why I feel so triumphant and happy over a small flame, but some strange relieved laugh escapes my lips and Haymitch joins in with me, seemingly finding it amusing how pleased I am with myself.

We share a strange smile of understanding and I already find myself liking him a lot. Liking people is a dangerous thing to do in these Games, because sentiment can effect judgment. But I won't let them turn me into an anti-social zombie. Besides…if someone from my own District can't win, someone from District 12 should. They need a victor desperately…they don't even have anyone to mentor the tributes they have right now.

Soon it's time for our lunch and we all eat at a large dining table in the gymnasium. The Careers , the tributes from Districts 1, 2, and 4 that have been trained for this their whole lives so that they can volunteer for the Games, have banded together, exuding their superiority over the rest of us. Almost everyone sits alone, but Lara, Dariand and I make a point of being a team. The District 7 team, if you discount Geff, which I tend to do a lot. He was sitting near the District 5's anyway, on his own.

"So…" Lara says as we eat, "I noticed you talking to that boy from District 12."

"Haymitch," I nod as I tear off bits of a roll and put them into my mouth, "He's…nice. Though he's probably only interested in me because I'm pregnant, it's the only thing that makes me different from anyone else."

Lara looks away, towards where the Gamemakers who have been watching us from their elevated platform in the gymnasium have moved to speak with the trainers at the stations. I see of them eyeing me, and quickly turn back to my food, though Lara does not.

"You're going to have to accept that your pregnancy _is _going to be the reason that people find you interesting…probably…just be glad you have something so individual, because with this many tributes, you're going to need it," She says, shrugging. Not for the first time, I stare at her and wonder how in the world she could be this intelligent for only thirteen. Shaking my head, my gaze drifts back to the Career table.

They are a strange and intimidating lot. One of them, a girl from District 4, seems to be a dumb blonde who people are for some reason tolerating, and her female district counterpart has dark frizzy hair, yet also this sultry demeanor which confuses me. There's a fair haired quiet boy from their District who keeps to the side, again opposite to the hulking dark haired boy who had sent a shiver down my spine just watching him get reaped. Then there is that fourteen year old girl from District 1 who just leaves me with a sick feeling in my stomach.

An unexpected wave of nausea hits me and I am suddenly thankful for the small bins they provided for things like our chicken bones, because I run to the nearest one and use it to empty the contents of my stomach violently. I feel someone pulling back my hair, and look up to see Haymitch throw me a crooked smile.

"I was closer than your friends, sweetheart," He explains, and I frown but take the napkin he's offering me and wipe my mouth. Realizing that all of the other tributes – and the Gamemakers – are watching me, I give Haymitch a grateful but partially forced smile and return to my table.

"Well," I mutter as I sit down next to Lara once more, "There's a lunchtime immediately rendered a waste of time." I can hear Haymitch chuckling from nearby.

"Ah well…you can eat later," Dariand says in an attempt to be cheerful. I simply nod and wait until we're allowed to go back to the stations, and this time I stick with Lara, and show her good techniques for fighting with axes. Axes are my forte, being from the lumber district, and I'm pretty good with them, but I don't want the other tributes to know that. I can stay the pathetic little pregnant girl if they like. It's obvious by the way that the Careers watch me that this is how they view me anyway. There's one in particular, a frightening boy from District 2 with eyes that seem to tell you that they are going to rip you apart like you're a tiny animal. I suppose that's how I would appear to a monster like him.

Still, as I practice sword use with Lara, I can't shake the feeling that this boy is going to hurt me. He keeps staring at me, too.

Eventually, Lara gets sick of how uncomfortable he's making me.

"Oi, you there, whatever you're doing, stop staring at us and go learn something! Leave us the hell alone!" She shouts over at him, and immediately he stiffens, a dangerous glint in his eye. He raises his sword threateningly, and Lara's confidence wavers.

"You got a problem with me, little girl?" He asks loudly. She is frozen.

I step in for my own defence. "We both do. Whatever you're trying to do, stare at me, or scare me, or whatever…just stop. Go mind your own business and tie some knots or something."

"I'll tie _you_ into a knot, you stupid-" He's clearly pissed off but the younger girl from District 1 grabs his arm before he can come closer to us.

"For Panem's sake, Davis, keep it together and stop getting annoyed at anyone who happens to not flinch when you look at them," She snaps, but only seems to irritate him more. He yanks on her dark red hair as if he thinks it will frighten her or hurt her. It does neither.

"I don't have to take orders from you, Jovanka," He hisses. She isn't scared at all, and I can't understand it.

"No," She says flatly, "But it might be a good idea." She pulls her hair out of his hand and stalks off to the archery section. She's done her job well; Davis turns away from us with nothing more than a fierce glare.

I raise an eyebrow at Lara, but she merely shrugs. It turns out that Dariand is the only one of us that is reasonable with the sword, though I could probably use one in emergencies.

Soon enough the first day of training is over and we return to our floor, our luxurious apartment, and we collapse onto the sofa without another word. Karena comes in five minutes later to see us all but asleep on one another, and she smiles.

"How about an earlier supper tonight?" She offers, and the others all agree. I stand up slowly, groaning at my stiff joints from the training.

"Thank you, but I'm not hungry, I think I'll just go to my room," I mumble and head off to do so. About ten minutes after, Karena enters the room with a drink in her hands. She sits down on the end of my bed, which I am lying in, and hands me the drink.

"If you're feeling sick, this will help," She says, and I begin to sip it warily, only to find that she's right, it does make me feel less sick. I continue to slowly drink it as she talks.

She's very pretty, Karena, with her long blonde hair and chocolate brown eyes. She would have gotten a lot of sponsors during her Games. I still find it incredible that she managed to kill no one, just wait everyone out. I can't imagine that the Gamemakers were too pleased with her, though.

"Cadence, what are you good at?"

"I'm good with an axe…alright with knots, I guess…learnt how to make fires today."

"Okay, that's good…now, Cadence, I'm going to give you some advice," Karena says, "The others will be getting the same sort of thing from Carlotta-"

"How did Carlotta win? I was a bit too young to remember it," I interrupt suddenly, and Karena's eyes grow a little sad.

"She managed to get in with the Career pack, and then slit all of their throats while they were sleeping," She whispers, almost to herself, "After that she had all the most lethal weapons, and she managed to pick everyone off."

I find myself staring slightly, and I'm sure that my face must hold total confusion. "Are you sure we're talking about the same person, here?"

Karena laughs, but there's no humour in it. "Yes…she's changed a lot since then."

"What colour was her hair, originally?"

"About the same colour as yours, I think."

I can't hide my surprise. "Really?" I think of the royal blue locks she has now, and cannot imagine her as a normal, let alone violent person.

"Something you have to realize, Cadence," Karena says gently, grabbing one of my hands, "Is that the Games changes a person, even if you make it out alive. Chances are, you will watch your friends die, and even if you manage to get out without killing a single person like I did, you will still be haunted by the deaths. Imagine how it is for Carlotta, when she killed so many of them. She married a Capitol man and moved here, and had a child, and she hides herself under the glamour because if she didn't…she would probably go mad. "

My hands are shaking and I shove them in-between my legs in an attempt to stop them. She keeps talking.

"But there's something else. The Gamemakers don't like to look stupid. Sometimes, the way that you fight in the Games can make them look stupid. I refused to fight, yet still managed to win, making them look like fools. Within a week, they'd killed my whole family."

My head snaps up to look at her suddenly, and my blood runs cold. "What?"

"Look, just…" Karena bites her lip and looks down, obvious pain in her eyes that I had never seen before. "Don't do anything in that Arena which will anger the Gamemakers. Play their game the way that Carlotta did, the way that they want you to. Then, if you make it out, your family and Deen will be safe."

"Okay…thank you," Is all I can manage to say because of the shock threatening to overwhelm me. She nods and leaves me to my solitude, and I feel myself pulled into a sleep clouded with nightmares.

* * *

><p><em>I'm running through tall grass, Lara and Dariand's hands in mine, and I can feel the weight of weapons on my back. I glance behind and see Davis, the District 2 tribute, pursuing us with a sword in each hand. <em>

"_Keep running!" I scream at them, but we're not moving fast enough. Just as he is about to catch us, I turn to see him drop to the ground, dead. There is no time to be relieved, because the person who was behind him is now coming after us with even more murderous intent. _

_It's Carlotta. Her hair is the same colour as mine and flowing free, but she's still dressed in Capitol clothes and make-up. Her eyes, usually so jolly, are narrowed and lethal, and before we can run, she swings her large knife and lunges. _

_Lara's body drops to the ground as the blood begins to pour from it, and Dariand follows within a second. I stare at my dead friends and feel myself crying, screaming at Carlotta with words that made no legible sense. _

_But Carlotta suddenly morphs into Karena, and she hugs me tightly. _

"_I'm not going to be there to save you," She says, and she melts into thin air, leaving me in the middle of the towering grass, alone and sitting between the corpses of my friends._

* * *

><p>I wake up in a cold sweat, tears pricking at my eyes, and as my body begins to tremble I hear Lara sliding out of bed and rushing to me. I grab her, to make sure that she's real, that she's alive and breathing, and let out a huge breath I hadn't realized I was holding.<p>

"Shh…" She whispers, stroking my hair and wrapping her arms around me again, "Whatever it was, it was just a dream. You're in your bed, with me, and you're fine." Her lips touch my cheek briefly before I feel her leave my side and get back into her own bed. "Try to go back to sleep."

But suddenly sleep is a terrifying thought, and I lie in my bed with my head pressed against the pillow, dreading its return.

* * *

><p><strong>So, thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed the slight insight into Karena and Carlotta, as well as Haymitch's appearance. You might also see another familiar character in the next chapter, if you're lucky! :P <strong>

**Reviews to let me know what you thought? *looks hopeful* **

**-MayFairy :) **


	4. Public Appearances

**Goodness, it's been a while! I AM very sorry about that, but at least I have gotten back onto it now. I like to think it will be easier from now on, as it was the days in the Training Centre that bored me and caused me to go off this story for so long. But hopefully the gaps won't be quite as long next time...I'm not planning for most chapters to be this long, either, I just wanted to get the interviews out of the way in this chapter. **

**So, thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter: OptimisticLivvy, FezzesRCool25, Spirit-of-the-Rain, Mrs. 11th, Brennan, and toavoidconversation! **

**You six are awesome people. :) **

**Now, we see a bit more of Haymitch in this chapter, learn a teensy bit more about Lara, and see a much younger version of a character that you lot probably didn't expect to see in this story. But what can I say, I adore this person too much to not include her. So enjoy! **

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><p>As expected, when I get up in the morning for breakfast, I feel incredibly tired and bad-tempered. I force myself through the morning routines and appear at the dining table looking rather untidy despite having washed and dressed in identical clothes to yesterday.<p>

Even Lara looks slightly less chirpy than usual…which is strange. Dariand shares a knowing look with me and unsurprisingly, Geff doesn't show up until the rest of us are practically finished eating. I find it a little hard to look at Carlotta, and I think Karena notices, but as expected, says nothing.

Back in our bedroom for ten minutes before we are due down at the Training Centre, Lara asks if she can do my hair. I tell her yes and sit down in front of the mirror while she stands behind me.

"I used to do my sister's hair," She says quietly as her fingers weave through my thin strands of hair.

"How old is she?" I ask. It hadn't even occurred to me that she might have family, but I suppose the Games can make it easy to forget obvious things like that.

"She's nine…her hair's beautiful, it's this rich brown with a hint of red," Lara sighs, "I suppose I probably won't see her again." Her words make me freeze. They are forbidden words, ideas that are never supposed to be said. But once they are in the air around us, it seems silly. Why not be realistic? Why pretend? It's a simple fact that at least one out of the two of us will not return home to District 7. Would I kill her, to get back home to Deen? To save my baby?

I immediately feel ill when I realise very quickly that I would if necessary. The Careers might have been trained all their lives, but I have a protective maternal instinct which should not be overlooked.

Lara doesn't seem bothered by my lack of an answer, she's not petty and has enough to occupy herself with. When she's done, I twist my head to admire the result of her labours. She's braided the front pieces of my hair to twist around the back and join with the rest of my hair into a pretty bun at the top of my neck.

"Thank you," I murmur, and she gives me a small smile. I wordlessly get up and hug her until we hear Karena's voice calling for us, telling us that it's time to go.

* * *

><p>The Training Centre looks the same as yesterday, only slightly less daunting. We all spread out as we did before, and Lara shows me some good tricks with knives, and we work on this for a couple of hours until I'm reasonably mediocre at it.<p>

Haymitch approaches us and flashes us both a grin before directing his attention to Lara. "You seem to know what you're doing there, " He comments as he eyes the small knife in Lara's equally small hand. "Mind showing me a few tricks?"

Lara stares at him for a few seconds before stonily replying, "No." I'm not sure what reaction I am expecting, but it isn't the bark of laughter that comes out of him.

"Right answer, short-stuff," He smirks.

"Cadence is from my district, that's the only reason she gets my help," Lara continues as if her refusal needed justification.

"Look…what's your name?" He crosses his arms and eyes her with condescending amusement.

"Lara. You're Haymitch, aren't you?" He doesn't verbally answer but his eyes tell that she is correct, which of course I already knew.

"Well, Lara…it's good that you realise who your friends are," He tells her, but she simply continues to eye him with an unfathomable expression. I can't help but wonder how she pulls it off. "But you also need to realise that at some point, you and Cadence won't be on the same team. You can't both get out of there alive. You would do well to remember that." With that, he leaves as abruptly as he arrived.

Lara watches him go with the unreadable look she has been wearing for the last minute.

"Lara? Are you okay?" I ask, and she snaps out of her reverie, and forces a smile which is even less convincing than the ones I flash around.

"Fine," She says, but her voice falters a little before she sets her jaw and flips the knife in her hand. "Run that technique again."

When she is satisfied that I have a general idea of what I'm doing, I help her with basic axe swings while trying to hide how naturally it comes to me. Dariand joins us for a while but it's obvious he thinks he has a good enough command over the weapon already and soon goes off to practice making fires.

Over the course of the day, we manage to learn how to use each of the weapons at least a little, but we try to focus more on the survival skills because it something that we will have more control over than a physical fight.

Haymitch finds me again an hour after lunch while Lara is off testing herself on the edible plants for the third time. He picks up a mace twice the size of the one I'm holding and smirks before he swings it towards the dummy, knocking it over in a brutally abrupt hit.

I try not to appear to gobsmacked, but it just seems as though this boy from the poorest District in Panem is able to do everything and the thought fits strangely in my head. Later, he finds me yet another while I am trying to concentrate on the edible flora test.

"You realise that you're one of the most dangerous tributes here, don't you?" He asks in all seriousness, and I tear my eyes away from the screen to stare at him incredulously before rolling my eyes. "I'm not kidding."

"I'm not a career, I'm not a lethal fighter, I'm just a girl from District 7," I murmur, "I don't understand your logic."

"You're not just a girl, you're a mother, you have been from the moment you found out that baby was in there," Haymitch pushes, "And if I've learnt anything from where I grew up, it's that there is no one more dangerous than a mother protecting her child. But you have to grow a backbone and be prepared to fight."

"I'm prepared to fight to protect my child…but I'm not prepared to slaughter my friends, even if I was able," I quietly whisper, the realisation hitting me at the same time that I voice it aloud.

"Well you might want to prepare yourself, then," Haymitch says bluntly before walking off, leaving me alone and filled with an urge to throw up, which luckily I manage to fight down.

* * *

><p>Due to the doubled number of tributes, the day for evaluating the training scores has been split over two days, one for the male tributes and one for the female tributes. All the males were evaluated yesterday, and it's almost my turn to go in now. Suddenly Lara is coming back out through the doors and hugging me before I have to go in after her.<p>

"Cadence Marks."

Panicked, I look back down at Lara, who squeezes my hand for reassurance.

"You'll be fine, Cadence. Just show them what you can do." At her words, I nod stiffly before walking into the Training Centre. The room seems much more intimidating then before, as I am now the only teenager in it and the only person at all on the lower level. Despite the fact that the Gamemakers are also gorging themselves on food, they are also watching me intently as I walk to the centre of the room.

"Cadence Marks," I say, just in case I'm supposed to, because I honestly have no idea. One of them nods at me, and I can't help but smile at him a little with gratitude. With that, they all stare at me expectantly, so I cross over to where one of each of the weapons were waiting on a stand. Taking the double-sided axe in my left hand and allowing myself to get used to the weight, I first cross to the circle of dummies placed in the training centre to be destroyed in this very situation. I take in a deep breath before swinging the axe with all of my strength. One dummy falls instantly, and with my second swing, another's head finds the ground in second. I take out all ten within twenty five seconds, and although it's not a time to be ashamed of, my breathing is ragged when I am done, and I know that despite my strength from chopping down trees all day, I'm still no match for people like Jovanka and Davis.

I hold my head a little higher despite this, and after a few seconds of deliberation and calculations, I throw the axe across the room, and it slices through one of the climbing poles, staying completely wedged in at a perfect 180 degree angle. The judges appear as surprised as I feel. It was just a gamble, a last resort to possibly get in their good books if I happened to throw it right.

My arms curl around my stomach as I turn to face them all again. The outfit Karena picked for me today is supposed to emphasise my pregnancy and win me sympathy, so the fabric clings to my skin without me having to help it. I nod respectfully to them before walking out of the room as fast I can without making it look rushed.

Karena and Lara are waiting for me when I get out, and the former puts her arm around me within seconds, while the latter takes my hand. A part of me feels as though I should protest to being babied by everybody, but it's comforting and the part of me which knows all too well that it is only seventeen years old needs all the comfort it can get right now.

* * *

><p>When we get back to the District 7 floor of the tribute apartments, I am incredibly surprised to see a child of about five running through the dining room, being chased by a man I don't recognise. Karena notices both mine and Lara's confusion and is quick to explain.<p>

"It's Carlotta's husband, and their daughter," She says, and a few seconds later the child comes around the table and latches onto Karena's legs.

"Karena!" She squeals, and immediately Karena's expression softens as she takes the child into her arms.

"It's good to see you too, Effie," She taps the little girl on the nose fondly, and she giggles. "And what have you been doing today?"

"We went to see Grandma Trinket and she said she would buy me a doll of any of the tributes I wanted, and I asked for one of Haymitch Abernathy because he's my favouritest even if he's from District 12. But then I wanted to get one from Momma's district too, so she let me get one of Lara as well. I like Lara because she's kind of small like me," Effie gabbles with excitement, and Lara and I share a look before laughing as Karena sets Effie back on her feet.

"I guess I am," Lara admits, and Effie's head of curly blonde hair – full of pink ribbons and flowers – turns to face her, and her eyes light up.

"I have a doll of you!" She squeaks.

Lara looks amused. "I know."

"And one of Haymitch. I love Haymitch...have you talked to him?" The little girl only seems to have realised the possibility now, and both of us nod. "What's he like, is he nice? And strong? And just as handsome up close?"

"Well," I begin, and it's obvious that she's hanging off my every word, "He's good at almost everything. He's nice but he's not stupid. He has a good chance of winning."

Effie lets out a squee of happiness and is about to run off when she seems to look at me for the first time. Her head tilts to the side and I feel my body stiffen as her hand tentatively reaches out towards my stomach.

"Are you having a baby?" She whispers, and I slowly nod. "But you're not married to anyone."

A strange smile spreads across my face as a little laugh escapes me. "No, I'm not," I say as I shake my head, and pause, thinking about it, "But I'd like to be."

"You would have to do up your hair a lot fancier if you get married," Effie notes seriously, eyeing my two thick braids like a true child of the Capitol. "And try not to have your baby in the Arena…someone might hurt it."

My mouth falls open ever so slightly as it hits me that she doesn't seem to realise that my death means my baby's death too. That's the logic of a child for you. But I force myself to nod and smile. "I'll make sure to remember that."

She beams. "I love babies. I bet I'll like your baby too. She'll be pretty because she got to come to the Capitol and see all the pretty people, so she'll be pretty too."

With that she goes back to babbling away to Karena, who takes her to sit on the couch. I am left standing absently, lips still parted with confusion and disgust as the image of my baby, skin painted and tattooed like a person of the Capitol, swims unbidden into my mind. My gut churns and I run for the kitchen, making it just in time to throw up into the sink while trying to hold my braids out of the way. Once I get rid of the stench and check there's none of it on me, I emerge from the kitchen.

Carlotta is seated at one end of the large dining room table, head bent in and deep in discussion with the attractive olive-skinned man I had glimpsed chasing Effie earlier, her husband. For someone from the Capitol, he isn't too freakish, just some of that make-up stuff and dark blue hair that compliments hers.

I never thought it possible, but Carlotta seems worried or upset, if her hand gestures and facial expressions are anything to go by. His hand comes up to touch her face and before I can even blink, they're kissing and I have to wrench my gaze away. Because I'm reminded of Deen and the fact that I've never gone this long without seeing him ever since I met him.

Forcing myself to look back, Carlotta and her husband are just sitting there, foreheads touching, and actually looking as if they care about each other. Could Carlotta's act of now being a Capitol bimbo be just that? An act?

* * *

><p>After dinner, the nine of us sit down on the expansive sofa to watch yesterday's and today's training scores be revealed. I can't help but feel that though I didn't do awfully, my score isn't going to be brilliant either. It hadn't even occurred to me to ask how the others thought they did, but I suppose we'll all find out now regardless.<p>

The boys scores are being shown first, and both of the District Ones get eight. The boy from District Two who gave me the horrible feeling in my stomach gets a ten, and the skinny one who I remembered throwing spears around in the Training Centre scores a seven. The District Three's gets six and seven, while the District Four's get seven and eight. District Five's scores are dismal, while District Six had a lot of contrast. One boy, Icarus, a boy with dirty blonde hair who had a fancy for nunchucks if my memory served me right, scores a nine, while his counterpoint gets three.

As the scores for our own District approach, I grab Dariand's hand and smile at him, as he looks incredibly nervous. He smiles back just as his score is announced on the television: an eight. The room erupts with cheers and Lara and I both hug him as a way of congratulations. Clearly he is as good with swords and axes as he had been claiming.

Geff then scores a four, and we awkwardly give words of encouragement, the adults being the only ones who sound convincing. After his, all the scores are reasonably mediocre until the older out of the dark skinned District Eleven guys scores a nine. And then, Haymitch from District Twelve gets a ten, only proving my theory that he was both clever and physically gifted. Naturally, Effie squeals appreciatively and we almost can't shut her up in time before the scoring continues.

Then it's time for the girls and we're staring at the face of Jovanka, the frighteningly mature and accomplished fourteen year old, who does score a nine, and yet is beaten by her larger companion with a ten. I find myself gulping involuntarily. Both District Two's get an eight, and one District Three, the older, prettier one, scores a seven, while the younger scores a five. Unsurprisingly, the blonde bimbo Career from Four, Jacinta, only gets a five as well. Aubrey, the one who had confused me with her seductive aura, surprises us all by getting a nine. District Five does alright, and at least better than District Six. And then it's our turn.

"Lara Castellan," Caesar Flickerman's voice says, "With a score of seven." I look over to Lara, who is smiling with obvious relief, eyes still locked on the screen.

"Your knives, yeah?" I ask, and she nods before shushing me as my own face suddenly appears on the screen.

"Cadence Marks, with a score of seven also."

A strange nervous laugh slips from my lips and everyone in the room looks pleased with our results, except perhaps Geff's. None of the results for the rest of the girls are high enough to worry about, though the blonde girl from Twelve, Maysilee, does get a six.

"So what now?" Dariand asks, and Malroy takes an overexaggerated breath in before replying.

"Now, Dariand, we prepare for the interviews," He says as if it's the most glamorous thing in the world, "So much to do. Costumes to organize, and of course we have to sort out how we're going to portray you all."

"Portray?" His head turns to look at me when I repeat his words. "You make us sound like ornaments on a shelf!"

Sneering at me in a way that makes me want to slap him across his stupid painted face, Malroy says, "Oh Cadence...honey...what else would you be to the Capitol? Any of you?"

I fight an urge to be sick and as I'm storming from the room, the only thing that gives me any faith in adults at all is that I hear Carlotta and Karena simultaneously reprimanding him for saying something so horrible.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Lara, Dariand and I are working with Karena on what angle we are going to try for in the interviews when Lara suddenly giggles to herself and we all turn to stare at her.<p>

"Sorry," She apologises, "It's just that I realized that me and Cadence both got Training Scores of seven, and we're from District Seven."

I roll my eyes, albeit somewhat fondly. "You're mad."

"A little," she snickers, "Maybe that should be my angle."

"No," Karena says sharply, reluctant amusement in her eyes despite her attempted bravado. "I think with you we should try and present you as the strong little girl, the one who is going to use her size to her advantage and surprise everyone."

"Which means we'll be showing them the exact truth," I note, and Karena nods.

"This isn't about lying, it's about choosing a person's assets. Lara will be able to pull it off because that's exactly what she is."

"What about me?" My voice goes quiet, and her eyes soften as she properly regards me with them.

"We've agreed to reveal your pregnancy at the interviews, so..," She pauses, "You're the pregnant girl who is madly in love with the father of her baby, so much so that you'll do anything to save yourself and the baby and get home. The Capitol buys into a love story faster than they do a new trend, hundreds of people will try and help you as much as they can. I've gathered that Deen isn't something you like to talk about, but that has to change. You have to talk of nothing else, how he's your whole life, you need to make it so they have no choice but to want you back with him."

It takes me half a minute to process what she's saying but eventually I bob my head in a nod. "Okay, I think I understand. That might actually work."

Karena smiles. "Of course it will."

* * *

><p>We had gone on to portray Dariand as an underdog with a good chance, and now the three of us were stuck with Carlotta, Malroy, and our stylists as we try on our costumes for the interviews.<p>

Carlotta is attempting to show me how to walk in heeled shoes, and it's utterly impossible. I keep eyeing Lara's much smaller heels with envy, as they look more comfortable and she's already walking perfectly in them.

While I'm taking a break from the evil golden shoes, I am being instructed on how to take care to walk with a straight back and to smile frequently. They also say to hold my stomach a lot, to emphasize the pregnancy itself and how much I care about the baby. That's when Danna arrives with my dress, and I have to admit that this time, she's done a phenomenal job.

It's pale gold – a nice break from all the green they've been dressing me in – and is shorter than I expected. It comes to about mid-thigh and is very fitted, meaning that my slightly rounded stomach is impossible to miss. The neckline is attractive yet modest and there are no sleeves.

I'm quite reluctant to take it off again, but I know that later today I'll be putting it back on.

Although the interviews usually only take about an hour and a half, due to the doubled number of tributes this year, the boy's interviews will be in the afternoon and the girls will be in the evening. And then tomorrow, the Games begin, of course.

* * *

><p>Lara and I sit on the large couch alone, as the whole team is down helping Dariand and Geff with their interviews. We watch as the District One's have their interviews, but other than being generally intimidating neither of them say anything worth paying a lot of attention to. But then Davis is the one opposite Caesar Flickerman – who has chosen purple for his signature colour this year – and all that he says continues to reinforce what we already knew. That he's totally sadistic and is likely to prefer to torture someone and leave them to die than kill them quickly.<p>

"So," Caesar begins, "Is there anyone in this big batch of tributes who has grabbed your attention in any way? Anyone we should keep an eye on?"

Davis's eyes flash with excitement as if he had been waiting for such a question. "Those girls, man." He grins. "You'll see tonight. Someone from District 7 might just surprise you." I feel my whole body go rigid with shock as I realize that he's talking about me. The glint in his eye only brings back the sense of foreboding I got from him before, telling me that he wants to hurt me, that he's going to.

"What a douche," Lara grumbled, and I made a noise of agreement as the interviews continue. All the males are quite typical: Either ready for the fight and eager to win; or laid back and funny, a total people person. Dariand fits into the second category easily, and we laugh along with the audience as he cracks some jokes that Caesar seems to approve of, though Caesar is still very much the funnier of the two, because Dariand is somewhat socially awkward despite it all.

"So, Dariand…we've been informed that one of the girls from your District is going to surprise us. Do you know what this surprise is?"

Dariand nods slowly, a small smile at the corner of his lips. "Yes, Caesar, I do."

"And which one of them is it?"

"You'll have to wait and find out."

Geff, unsurprisingly, doesn't say too much, though tries to sound tough. It only partially works, though I do realize that I had paid no attention to him in the Training Centre, and have no idea what strengths Geff has, if he has any. I feel almost bad, that I've basically completely left him out of my little world.

Once again, just when all the tributes seem to blur together, the older boy from District 11 breaks out of the blur and grabs my attention. His name is Sim, and he's naturally very funny, somehow mixing his charisma with his obvious physical prowess. I find myself staring at his long black hair, noting how it seems to have matted into dreadlocks. He seems like the sort of person I would be friends with back home, and the thought makes me wish for the millionth time that that's exactly where I was.

Haymitch of course is the individual, and displays much more arrogance than I expected too, though none of it is false. He admits to having a girlfriend back in District 12 when Caesar asks about it, he says that her name is Callie.

"Well, a lot of the Capitol girls are probably very disappointed right now," Caesar says, and Haymitch chuckles.

"I like to think so," He agrees.

Caesar then pauses as he prepares for a new question. "So, Haymitch, what do you think about the Hunger Games having 100% percent more competitors than usual?"

Haymitch, clearly not too worried, shrugs. "Well, they'll still be 100% stupid as usual, so I figured that my odds will be roughly the same."

I laugh along with Lara, Caesar, and the audience, though there are many tributes that I personally would say are far from stupid. Still, it's nice to be light hearted about something for a little while.

* * *

><p>Later, Lara and I are rushed off to our stylists, and I get to put the gorgeous dress back on, even if it does means the evil shoes as well. Thankfully I can walk in them somewhat, due to Carlotta's surprisingly patient guidance. Then the team does my hair into a half-up, half-down style with a bun at the back and my hair loose at the front, across my shoulders and framing my face. With that and the make-up, I actually look seventeen for once, or not too far off.<p>

I am reunited with Lara soon after this, and she looks gorgeous and adorable, though while her dress is perfect, she hasn't escaped the curse of green clothing that seems to follow us District 7 tributes. It is a _nice _green, though, which makes it alright.

We then proceed to watch the interviews from backstage, and Jovanka oozes the same aggressive yet controlled confidence that she had in the Training Centre, while the bigger girl, Dorony, is surprisingly friendly, though clear about her intentions to fight anyone who gets in her way. Both of the girls from District 4 are dressed in incredibly short and sexy dresses, and act accordingly, though the dumb blonde still fails to impress me. The dark haired girl at least seems to be competent and intelligent.

But it doesn't take long before it's Lara's turn and I watch on the screen as she emerges onto the large stage, small yet radiant and powerful. The crowd seems to love her, and she does perfectly, all smiles and yet definitely not a pushover.

"So, we've been told that one of you District 7 girls is going to give us a surprise of some kind tonight…is it you, Lara?" Caesar asks slyly, a grin on his face, and she shakes her head with a laugh intended to only deepen everyone's curiosity.

"Nope, though I might surprise you in the Arena," She says with confidence, and Caesar smiles his broad smile appreciatively.

"I'm sure you will," He agrees, and shakes her hand as she gets up from the chair. "The best of luck to you."

"Thank you," she says with a bright smile before walking off. I tear my eyes off the screen and run to hug her quickly before it's my turn.

"Now, it would seem the next tribute has a surprise for us, folks, so let's hear it for Cadence Marks!" Caesar announces, and the crowd erupts into cheers and applause. I take a deep breath in and walk up the steps that take me onto the stage. As I fully emerge into their view, with the tight dress and one arm on my stomach for self-comfort, the cheers and applause give way to silence and hushed murmuring. Even Caesar himself looks shocked beyond words as he stares at me with wide eyes, though that lasts only for a few seconds before he professionally recovers and smiles his trademark smile at me.

"Hello, Cadence, how are you tonight?" He asks as he takes me by the hand and leads me to my seat.

"I'm good, thanks, how are you?" I reply, and he chuckles a little.

"I'm brilliant," He answers before his gaze flicks down to my stomach. "So, that's our surprise?"

I nod. "Yep, this is my surprise," I laugh nervously, "Did it work?"

Caesar laughs with me, as the crowd gives an encouraging cheer. "Yes, it definitely did. Can we get a proper look at the bump?"

"Sure," I get up and turn on the side so that the audience gets the best view, and they clap enthusiastically. Then I rotate myself again so that Caesar gets a good look too.

"Wow, that is just remarkable," He says, awed, and reaches out his hand to me. "May I?"

It takes me a second to realize what he means, and while for a moment I'm unsure, I decide that I do like him and that it couldn't do any harm. "Sure," I say, and place his hand on my bump. His face lights up with delight and then his eyebrows lift in surprise in the same moment that I feel my baby kick for the first time, and it's evident that he feels it too.

"Was that a kick?" He asks excitedly, and I nod slowly, still processing the information, but I feel a giddy grin spreading across my face.

"Yes," I say breathlessly, "He hasn't done that before. That was his first kick. He must like you."

"Well, I'm flattered, how very exciting…do you know it's a boy?" Caesar smiles widely, clearly still rather ecstatic, as we both sit back down, and I shake my head to answer his question.

"I just think it is," I admit with a shy smile, but he seems to think it's all marvelous anyway.

"Now, can we assume that there's a father back in District 7?" He asks.

I remember what Karena said about making sure I emphasize my love for Deen as well as the pregnancy, and quickly nod. "Yes, there is." A lovesick smile crosses my face while longing sits in my heart. There's no need to do any kind of acting up here, as I miss him and love him as much as I need them all to believe.

"What's his name? Will he be watching right now?"

"His name is Deen and I really hope so," I say, glancing over at the cameras that are filming us.

"Is he handsome?" Caesar's eyebrows waggle a bit. "He must have been for a baby to happen in the first place."

A blush creeps up my cheeks. "Yes, he is, but that's not why we – why this baby happened."

"Then why did it happen?" He's more serious now, leaning back in his seat and watching me intensely.

"Because I love him more than anything," I say quietly, "And he loves me."

A smile more genuine than any I've ever seen on him appears on Caesar's face. "Well, you'd better go out and win this thing and get back to him, then!" His voice is motivating and it seems like he really believes in me too, but at the same time I know that he has been the same with all the other tributes before me. Still, I nod and smile brightly.

"That's the plan," I say, and he looks pleased.

"Of course it is, and the best of luck to you and the little one," Caesar says as we stand up again, "Cadence Marks, everyone!" The massive audience, that stretches back for as far as I can see, applauds and gives more cheers as Caesar kisses my hand. I force myself to wave goodbye to them all as I walk offstage and grasp Lara's hand as soon as it's within my reach. But I keep my head up high as we leave back for the seventh floor apartment, because it's time to harden up and face the truth.

The worst of the faking nice for the Capitol is over. But tomorrow the Games begin.

* * *

><p><strong>So, yeah, I put Effie in, even if it was just for a little bit...and I just have this headcanon that she was in love with Haymitch as a child because the irony is brilliant and I'm a Hayffie shipper at the core, LOL. <strong>

**Hopefully you liked what you saw, and next chapter the games begin! I am quite excited for that but I have to go back to the Doctor Who fandom and write a Doctor/River honeymoon chapter (with drunken Jack/OC as an extra) before I can justify coming back to this. So I'll see you all soon, but not immediately! Reviews really do inspire me to write faster though, don't forget that! :) **

**-MayFairy :) **


	5. The Games Begin

**I'm back! I'm sorry that there has been such a huge delay. I lost the file which had my plan for the games, for all 48 tributes and what happens to them and when, which as you can imagine is very important. So I had to rewrite it. But now I have so hopefully updates will be alright now. I want to try and finish this story over my summer holidays, even it means short chapters like this. **

**Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far! **

**Enjoy the first chapter of the real games. **

* * *

><p>My feet shift on the small disc which is going to lift me into the Arena. I'm so full of nerves that the only thing keeping me under control is my thoughts of the conversation last night and this morning.<p>

Karena's advice and farewell. _Cadence, stay strong, try to play by their rules. And don't go into the Cornucopia. Just run. _

The plans I made with Lara and Dariand. _We'll find each other and work as a team. _

They don't help as much as I would like but they do help a little. I smooth my hands over the uniform I was given. Fitting dark pants and a dark green cotton shirt which will hopefully blend in with trees. _Oh please let there be trees. _There's also a warm jacket which I keep my locket under. My hair is up in a practical braided bun, courtesy of Danna.

I don't notice the countdown until it is half finished, and my platform rises until I can see all the other tributes. Just as the countdown reaches 1, I turn to face the Arena, and along with the countdown, I stop, breathless.

It is the most beautiful place I have ever seen. We are in a meadow, one that smells sweet, and the sky is pure azure, the most gorgeous blue I have ever seen, topped with white fluffy clouds. The meadow goes for a long way but I can see woods. Just as I am about to see if I can smell the flowers, a blur of motion catches my eye. What would want to move in a place like this?

Haymitch is running towards the Cornucopia, and as I watch him pick up a large knife and a backpack, reality hits me and I begin to run too. But before I can head away from the Cornucopia, I realise I can't see people around and following me. Upon looking back, all the other tributes seem dazed by the beauty of the meadow as I had been.

So I run into the Cornucopia. There's an axe and a large backpack which looks heavy. Having carried axes and logs for most of my adolescence, I pick them up and know that I'll be able to carry them for a while at least. Briefly, I am glad to only be a few months along in the pregnancy.

The thought of my child leads me to the thought of Lara, and when I turn my head, she is amongst all the others, so I decide to yell at her at the risk of breaking the trance. "Lara! Come on, let's go!" I watch her head snap in my direction and she immediately breaks into a sprint while I grab a pair of knifes which she'll be able to make use of. I see her yelling at Dariand also, but as he begins to move, so do the other tributes, all now with their heads back in the game. He gets lost in the blur and I have no choice but to begin to run from the Cornucopia, waiting until Lara has reached me so I can grab her hand and speed up.

"Try and find us!" Lara screams back to him before we are gone, sprinting through the heavenly grass and flowers towards the line of trees in the distance. The idea was that even though they are far away, everyone will be too busy fighting at the Cornucopia to pay us any thought.

Once we reach the trees, we keep going until we are far enough in to feel safe. We can hear the faint screams in the distance begin to die out until there is just silence, and everyone will either be dead or moving on. The Careers will probably have formed a pack by now.

The cannons begin to sound, and we count eighteen blasts.

"Shit," I say, "That's a lot of dead kids." There's a lump in my throat which doesn't want to dislodge.

"Not enough," Lara answers, staring in the direction of the Cornucopia, "That's still 30 people left."

"I just hope that Dariand is one of them," Despite my words, I know that we won't know until nightfall, so we decide to see what is in the pack I'd grabbed.

There's water, quite a bit of food, a blanket, a little bottle of iodine for making any extra water drinkable, and a small length of rope. And in addition, a pair of knifes for her, and my axe.

"This is much better than what we could have hoped for," Lara breathes, smiling properly for the first time, "We got lucky."

"Lucky that Haymitch wasn't taken in and that he happened to end up right in my line of sight," I agree, "Hey, that clump of bushes looks huge. We could easily sleep in there, no one would be able to see us."

With a glance at the tree nearest to the clump, Lara hesitantly eyes it as we approach. "Should we leave a 'D' marked on the tree for Dariand like we planned?"

"No," I say a little too quickly, and have to explain when she looks concerned and confused, "Best not risk showing that _anyone _was here until we're sure that he's actually alive."

"We should put all the stuff in the bushes and take a look around. Figure out what kind of things they've put in here, since we might need to eat it later," Lara looks pleased when I agree with her, and so we put everything in the bushes, except for the axe and the knifes, which we carry with us.

She bends to examine some of the plants, while I merely keep watch. I had never managed to get a good result on the test for what is useful, what is edible, what is useless, and what will kill you less than a minute flat.

When she rises from her crouch, she doesn't look pleased, and wordlessly strides away, her eyes darting all around here. I follow and decide to not question her. After we have walked for at least a hundred metres, she stops and drops to the ground yet again. Her hands barely touch the plants and the trees, but a few minutes later she rises slowly.

"We have a problem," She says, voice flat with underlying anger, "They've screwed us over."

"I don't understand."

"Nothing here is edible!" Lara yells before realising her mistake and lowering her voice, though it is no less furious. "Everything I can identify is poisonous. Which means we assume it all is."

I crouch and pick a pretty pick flower in my hand. "Well, you say all, but things like _this _won't be," I smile and lean in to sniff it, only for the flower to be snatched from my hand before the smell can truly reach my nose. I'm about to make some irritated statement when my mind burns and the world goes wonky.

* * *

><p>When I come to, Lara is standing over me looking concerned. The moment she sees that I am alright, she just rolls her eyes.<p>

"When I say everything," She says slowly, "I mean everything. You were out for a few hours, only a few more til we know who died. Two more cannons went off while you're out. My guess is that someone tried to have a snack and didn't realise nothing edible was on the menu."

So we wait in silence until the anthem begins to play. And that's when the faces show in the sky. Twenty hadn't sounded so bad, but when I see the faces, I nearly cry.

The younger girl and a guy from Three.

The young guy from Four.

Both of the boys from Five.

Geff's face appeared in the sky and I feel sick. But the next faces are the boys and one of the girls from Eight, and I let out a sigh of relief. Dariand is still alive. But the list isn't done and plenty more had perished.

All four of Nine.

The girls of Ten.

The girls and a boy of Eleven, meaning that the friendly one with dreadlocks, Sim, is still alive. The thought makes me happier.

The young boy and girl from Twelve, meaning Haymitch and that blonde girl Maysilee are still alive as well.

Also, all of One and Two and three of Three. The deadliest tributes are unfortunately very much breathing and ready to kill us.

Lara soon goes to sleep while I take first watch, which from the middle of our sleeping bush is more like first listening out, but it works well enough. But twenty minutes in, I hear rustling and immediately go stiff while trying to keep quiet.

"Cadence? Lara?"

The voice is familiar enough. I poke my head out of the top of the bush to see Dariand a few metres away, clutching a small sword.

"Dariand!" I say gleefully, and he whips around, startled for a moment. But then his eyes light up and I climb out of the bush to hug him tightly.

"I'm glad you two made it," He tells me.

"The feeling is mutual."

"What's going on?" Lara's groggy voice emits from the bush and when she pushes her head out of the top, she looks so cute and sleepy that I have to giggle a little.

"Look who found us," I nod towards Dariand and when her eyes land on him they light up.

"Thank god," She whispers, smiling.

"So, what now?" Dariand asks. The pack instinct from before seems to be holding, because he and I look to our leader – to Lara. She just smiles again, but it is a smile of a very different kind. It's ironic and almost sinister.

"Now, we play."

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed it! Not overly violent but it will become so, trust me! <strong>

**Love you all and would love to hear from you in the comments,**

**-MayFairy :)**


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